Am I doing enough to protect myself and my loved ones against the coronavirus? This is a question currently on many people’s minds in Switzerland. One of them is Helene Jenni, who is resorting to unusual measures to devote all her energy to the fight against the coronavirus.
Helene Jenni works at Emmental Hospital. She has been the facilities manager there for many years and leads a team of eleven people. She lives in a farmhouse not far from the hospital with her partner and his mother. Although she has only been in a relationship with her partner for a few years, the two have already had to cope with several setbacks: Not long ago, Helene’s visits to the hospital were not only work-related but also personal, as she was there to support her partner, who was battling cancer. Fortunately, Helene’s partner has won his battle with cancer and is now back home. However, his immune system is not yet stable, so he has to take it easy.
Extraordinary Effort: The Risk Is Too Great
With the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the household realized that Helene Jenni lives with two people who both belong to high-risk groups: her partner because of his illness, and her 78-year-old mother, due to her age. At the same time, hospital staff emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to standard hygiene measures, and Helene Jenni has become all the more aware of the latent danger posed by the virus. “Now it’s important that I can give my all at work,” says Helene Jenni, “which also means staying healthy and not putting others at risk - and certainly not my two loved ones at home.”
Although Helene Jenni is aware that the risk of infection in the hospital is very low when hygiene measures are followed, it is still higher than if she were self-isolating at home. So Helene Jenni moved out of her home without further ado. Helene Jenni’s past relationship played a significant role in this decision: Five years ago, she lost her then-partner to lung cancer. The latent danger posed by a lung virus therefore triggers very personal memories for Helene and reinforced her decision. The question of the additional financial burden was secondary for Helene Jenni.
It was immediately clear to her supervisors that ISS should cover the costs, as this extraordinary effort deserves to be rewarded. “It makes me proud to be able to count on employees like Helene. It goes without saying that, as an employer, we want to give back in this personal situation - not just take,” says Matthias Ruoss, ISS Regional Director for Bern. Helene Jenni now lives within walking distance of the hospital in a small studio apartment that even has a small terrace. “I’m at the hospital early in the morning, and when I come home in the evening, I sit on the terrace and call my partner. We’re now two kilometers apart as the crow flies. When I moved out, he said to me, ‘I’m just imagining that you’re going on a trip around the world, and when you come back, you’ll have lots to tell me, and I’m looking forward to hugging you again then.’”
Modesty: Total Dedication to Patient Care
Helene is now focusing all her energy on the important work at Emmental Hospital. “That goes without saying for me! In times like these, we all need to support one another. The patients need us. The hospital needs us. My team needs me,” says Helene Jenni. She would never have left her team alone just to go into quarantine as a precaution: “It’s a dream to work with these people!”
Helene Jenni - a woman who does so much good with her courageous dedication and extraordinary ideas, yet remains so humble.